Many people exercise just because they enjoy the activity or to obtain a certain look. However, there are other reasons and benefits aside from aesthetics. Some think that to truly reap the benefits of exercising, you would have to work intensely daily for a week, but many studies have shown that just 2 hours of moderate activity can greatly improve general health and mental stability. To be more specific, it can lower mortality rates by upwards of 31% and cardiovascular-related mortality by 28-38%. It can reduce the risk of cancer by 8-28%, strokes by 19%, diabetes by 17%, and depression/dementia by upwards of 30%.

There are also an estimated 4-5 million deaths annually across the globe that could be prevented with moderate exercise. However, due to the modern state of the world, less need for activity, and busy schedules, it can be hard to find time to work out.

To achieve these benefits, you can go for 20 minutes of just a brisk walk every day, which while doing so, can help clear your mind and you can enjoy scenery. Or, if you want something more social, you can play sports with your friends, like basketball, and even dancing to a few good songs can help. But it’s very important to understand where your abilities stand because doing too much could damage your body. It can lower your immunity, ruin your sleep schedule, injure yourself, and lead to mood swings. But once you have built up to it, try challenging yourself with a hard workout or two, if it’s cardio, or anabolic, then you should have a heart rate of around 148-160 staying in this zone for 20 minutes or a bit more, would yield ideal results in cardiovascular fitness. So whether it’s just a walk or hard exercise, make sure you enjoy it and stay true to your reason for doing it, as that will help with motivation in the long run.